Chavez also said that the arrival in Venezuela of Russian Tupolev Tu-160 “Blackjack” bombers for joint military exercises is a “warning” to the United States. The Tu-160 bomber is a supersonic, long range nuclear-capable strategic bomber similar to the American B1A Lancer.

The United States imports over one million barrels of oil every day from Venezuela, which is the fourth largest provider of oil to the United States after Canada, Saudi Arabia and Mexico.